CHARACTERS<\/b>:
\nCan be performed by a cast of eight, 5 men and 3 women.<\/p>\n
DOUG RAUSCHER<\/b>: 35, a whiz computer programmer, and the
\nprime mover in the Foundation for Free Intelligence.<\/p>\n
PHILIP CONGDON<\/b>: lawyer, congressional aide. Not a man
\nto suffer fools gladly.<\/p>\n
TRUDY<\/b>: 50’s, Congdon’s office secretary. Very efficient.
\nShe has more power than appears on the surface, and knows it.<\/p>\n
MAR BERGMAN (DAVISON)<\/b>: 35, staff researcher. Idealistic
\nand warm, she is the mother of a 9 month old son.<\/p>\n
THOMAS “TERM” MINNOW<\/b>: 28, programmer, another “MIT type”:
\nbright, unkempt, maybe a bit opportunistic.<\/p>\n
HELEN RAUSCHER<\/b>: 58, Doug’s mother, well-groomed and ladylike.<\/p>\n
JERRY BERGMAN<\/b>: 40, Mar’s husband. He is a social worker
\nin the suburban Boston area.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE ANDRAWSKI<\/b>: 28, researcher at the Institute.
\nIntense and judgemental, she is a Christian of deep faith.<\/p>\n
OCTO RATCHETT<\/b>: 40’s, hacker, conspiracy fan. There is
\na touch of sleeze in his make-up.<\/p>\n
SALLY<\/b>: late 20’s, a bright, expensive call girl.<\/p>\n
MAN 1<\/b> and MAN 2<\/b>: a surveillance team.<\/p>\n
HACKER 1<\/b> and HACKER 2<\/b> and DR LOW<\/b>: appear
\nin the last scene. All the smaller parts can be doubled.<\/p>\n
ESSIE<\/b>: Doug’s cat, is an important role; but most of the
\nscenes in which she “appears” can be staged using an empty cat
\ncarrier.<\/p>\n
Nontraditional casting is encouraged.<\/p>\n
Time\/Place\/Scene<\/b>: The play takes place in the present.
\nIt requires a unit set which will represent many locations —
\nmostly rooms in hotels in Washington, D.C. (Change the color of
\nthe bedspread, and it represents a different hotel room.) The
\nmomentum of the script is dependent on scenic elements that allow
\nfor continuous action, with no pauses between scenes for set-up.
\nThe spy films that are part of the plot can be fudged in a low
\nbudget production, with scenes staged in such a way that the actors
\n“see” them but the audience just hears the sound track: but a
\nproduction that is able to use a video or movie screen would gain
\nimpact.<\/p>\n
\n
SCENE 1<\/p>\n
(The office of PHILIP CONGDON, 40, an aide on the Washington staff
\nof Congressman Pete Kelly of Massachusetts. A desk, a couple of
\nchairs, a flag, and one practical door should indicate the location.
\nDOUG RAUSCHER, 35, with long hair and a beard, is a computer programmer
\nwidely believed to be The World’s Greatest Hacker. He is being
\ninterviewed by CONGDON while CONGDON’S secretary, TRUDY, takes
\nsteno notes. In the next office is MAR BERGMAN, 35, who works
\nfor Congressman Kelly in his home district.)<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat runs the whole mach—no, I won’t call it a machine, machines
\nare elegant; the contraption — it’s run on grease. All the consultants,
\nthe liaisons: they’re paid for access. But free access is the
\nbasis for progress, not just for pure science, for technology,
\ntoo. Why do you think our society’s chasing its tail? Grease!
\nAs soon as some bright guy figures out what works and begins to
\npublish, some bogus corporation cuts a deal. Contracts, patents.
\nTie him up and shut him up. The same way the moneymen’ve bought
\ncongress. If our representatives ride in limousines and eat in
\nfour star restaurants —-<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nMarcia, get in here!<\/p>\n
MAR (looks in door)
\nYes?<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nHow am I going to put this idiot in front of the committee?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWhat’s wrong?<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nEverything! Listen to him! Trudy, read that last bit back.<\/p>\n
TRUDY
\n“The nerve, to call us the pirates. An idea doesn’t exist until
\nit’s communicated, ideally to every meat machine with the capacity
\nto use it. These patents are a betrayal of society for personal
\nadvantage. For sharks. If-”<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nSkip to the congress part.<\/p>\n
TRUDY
\n“- they’ve bought congress. If our representatives ride in limousines
\nand eat in four star restaurants, —-
\nCONGDON (overlapping)
\nYou see what I mean? That’ll go down great! Especially with him
\nlooking like that!<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nLike what?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou mean his hair?<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nThe whole–! Yes, his hair. We send up a resume that looks like
\nwe’ve got a credible witness, and then this freak shows up! Like
\na mad Bolshevik, or some pervert. Oh, my God. On top of all the
\nrest?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nAre you gay?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYou mean happy? Or homosexual? I suppose it depends on your definition.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nAre you attracted to members of your own sex, or the opposite
\nsex?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nNot particularly. I did masturbate with this guy once, Jamie,
\nwhen we were both working round the clock on a project and he
\nwas up on adrenalin and kind of insistent. I was pretty spaced
\nout at the time and past pills any more–.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nMerciful God. Drugs, too?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nEverybody masturbates. What’s the big deal with company? If that
\nmakes me gay, OK, but it’s not like I’ll go out of my way–.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nHe doesn’t sound to me as if he necessarily has a problem. There’s
\nsuch a thing as the right to privacy.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nPrivacy, schmivacy! That’s for the bathroom: all it protects is
\nshit. My sex life,– or to be blunt about it, my total absence
\nof a sex life–, let it become a matter of record. Who cares?
\nBertrand Russell went nine years celibate, and at the time he
\nwas even married. While he was working on the Principia.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nMarcia, if I stay in this room another minute I’ll have to take
\na pill. Talk to this –person– find out if there’s any way that
\nwe can use him, and get him out of here. Trudy–.
\n(CONGDON indicates the door and he and TRUDY exit)<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nNot very friendly, is he?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nHe’s a lawyer.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nDown here it seems that everybody is.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nJust about.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nAre you? Who are you, anyway?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nMarcia Bergman. And no, I’m not a lawyer, really.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat does that mean?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI went to law school, but I’ve never practiced.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nCould you?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nTechnically, I’d have to re-take the–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nThat’s not what I mean. Do you have the — temperament, the point
\nof view?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nNo.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nThank God. I hate ’em.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nA lot of people feel that way.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI never even thought about it until I started this case. Do you
\nhave any idea how many lawyers a company like IBM has on retainer?
\nEvery one of them sharks, every one of them eager to get their
\nteeth into you.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nOnce they smell blood. DOUG
\nOr money.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWell, there’s a lot of that at stake here. That’s why Congdon
\nwants to be certain that what you say will be–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMoney’s nothing, money’s green tape! Brainpower’s what counts,
\nin the long run. Tie up brains to wring money out of the system
\nis criminal. A crime against the species. Facts, theories, analogs,
\nthey’re our birthright, our building blocks.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nFrom your point of view. To the companies, those are trade secrets.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYou can’t patent language! Can you understand? Computer code is
\nlike words, it forms thought. Trademark that, outlaw its use,
\nintelligence has to shut down. Given a formulation, anyone with
\na modicum of skill can come up with solutions, more or less elegant.
\nBut you see, I came up with the framework, for dozens of ideas
\nthat the biggies have used to pile up bucks. And I said, fine,
\ngo to it, guys. So now they’re trying to cut me out of my own
\nstuff!<\/p>\n
MAR
\nIf you could prove that–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYou mean with lawyers? Thousands of hours worth, and even then,
\nwhat’s to stop them from changing some commas and slapping a patent
\non my thoughts all over again!? I want to share, to have my stuff
\nbuilt on. It takes dozens of guys to figure out how to deal with
\nthe consequences of a simple bug, and then to have to waste time
\ndealing with deliberate blockage, with stonewalling and cover-up!<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI know.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nDo you? Most people have never even considered it.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nOh, I know. In a very personal way. If you ever have a free weekend.
\nI’ll tell you all about it.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYou will?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI thought you said you were gay.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI said I have no sex life. Unless you count Essie.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWell, don’t look to me for improvement. I’m a happily married
\nwoman.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat is your function here, exactly?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI don’t really have a function here. I’m from the congressman’s
\nhome district, just running errands on this case.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nThen why did Congdon sic you on me?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI believe I’m to make you presentable. The woman’s touch. Would
\nyou consider a shave and a haircut?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI’d prefer not to.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBut would you consider it?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIf these people I’ll be talking to know anything about programmers,
\nthe way I look adds credibility. In our business we divide up.
\nThe real guys in the company wear T shirts, and if they tell you
\nsomething it’ll be the truth if they know it, or if they don’t,
\nmaybe science fiction. Then there are the guys in suits, who lie.
\nWhether they know anything or not. All the good guys-<\/p>\n
MAR
\nRecognize each other. It’s a sign, I suppose, like the rock star’s–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nNot at all like that. The opposite. They do it for image, we do
\nit because image doesn’t matter. Hair is nonessential, so why
\nwaste time?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBecause you’re being televised. Ordinary Joes who shave every
\nday and go to the barber even when they can’t afford to take long
\nhair as an insult. Here’s a man claiming to know better than businessmen
\nand economists and college professors–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nAnd lawyers–<\/p>\n
MAR
\nHow information should be stored and distributed–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nNo secrets, no lies.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nIf you look like you’ve never had to hold down a real job-<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI’ll think about it.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou’ve got until Tuesday.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI’m scheduled to give a speech at the science fiction convention
\nFriday afternoon, so I couldn’t possibly before–<\/p>\n
MAR
\nThis is Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIt is? What time? My God, I should be there– (exits)
\n(re-enters)
\nSorry. I forgot Essie.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYour computer? You carry it around with you?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMy cat.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou brought it here?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI take her everywhere. She’s my Significant Other.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBut cats hate travel. They get sick, they run away.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nNot Essie. She’s fine as long as she’s with me. I can’t leave
\nher in the hotel room alone, but in her carrier with the sound
\nof my voice– Say goodbye to Ms. Berman, Essie–<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBergman, Marcia Bergman! Two o’clock tomorrow afternoon!
\n(DOUG exits with cat)<\/p>\n
CONGDON (coming back in)
\nIs he gone?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nUhhuh.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nWhat a waste. The guy’s hopeless.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nActually, I was rather impressed.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nWell, you’re not the public, are you? Rausher has no idea how
\nhe comes across! No tact, no modesty,-<\/p>\n
MAR
\nNo lies. He could be effective, Phil. Anyone can tell he means
\nwhat he’s saying. He comes across as pure, almost as sweet.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nSweet!<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWell, childlike. The kid who won the science fair. And he’s in
\nthe tradition, an American maverick.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nLooks like a faggot. Or a robot. Weird sex. I don’t like that.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBut he implied that he’d he’d hardly ever –<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nNot normal, is it? And who the hell is Bertrand Russell?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBritish mathematician and philosopher, 1880-1970. Notorious in
\nthe anti-nuke movement, and in other men’s beds. Correction: Their
\nwives’ beds.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nAnd that’s the good news.<\/p>\n
SCENE 2
\n(Unlocated. DOUG has just arrived at the Science Fiction Convention
\nhotel in D.C., where he is to give an address to a sympathetic,
\ntechnically sophisticated audience.)<\/p>\n
TERM (he’s wearing striped prisoner’s garb)
\nDoug? Where’ve you been? You were due two hours ago. But everything’s
\nrunning late, so I arranged for you to speak after the Cybernation
\npanel. Right before the masquerade, and in the same room. It should
\nbe a good crowd. You can change in the men’s room. (hands DOUG
\na matching striped costume)<\/p>\n
DOUG (hands costume back)
\nI’ve decided not to wear the it.<\/p>\n
TERM
\nDon’t be a dwick. You thought of the costume, it makes a point,
\nand the papers–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nThat’s a problem, now. If I show up in the papers looking like
\na freak in a silly outfit–<\/p>\n
TERM
\nIt’s the only way to get coverage. Intellectual integrity doesn’t
\nsell papers-<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI’ll look fringe. Like a nut, not a champion.<\/p>\n
TERM
\nNobody cares how Doug Rauscher looks. Well, maybe your mother–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMarcia cares. Oh, and can you arrange it so that Essie here is
\nout of sight but within the sound of my voice? Without people
\nnoticing? Under the podium would be perfect. (leans to speak to
\ncat in carrier) Wouldn’t it, little ladyfriend?<\/p>\n
TERM
\nI guess I can manage that. But where do you want your mom?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMy mom’s in Scarsdale.<\/p>\n
TERM
\nNo, she’s here at the convention. Got here two hours ago, to listen
\nto your speech. I bought her some lunch and directed her to the
\nSpace Colonies panel.<\/p>\n
SCENE 3<\/p>\n
(Two men listening to a tape.)<\/p>\n
VOICE OF CONGDON
\n“- Like a mad Bolshevik, or some pervert. Oh, my God. On top of
\nall the rest?”<\/p>\n
DOUG
\n“What?<\/p>\n
MAR
\n“Are you gay?”<\/p>\n
DOUG
\n“You mean happy? Or homosexual? I suppose it depends on the definition.
\n”<\/p>\n
MAR
\n“Are you attracted to members of the opposite sex?”<\/p>\n
DOUG
\n“Not particularly. But I did masturbate with this guy once, Jamie,
\nwhen we were both working round the clock on a project and he
\nwas up on adrenalin and kind of insistent. I was pretty spaced
\nout at the time and past pills any more–.”<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\n“Merciful God. Drugs, too?”<\/p>\n
MAN 1 (stops tape)
\nBingo!
\n(runs tape back)<\/p>\n
VOICE OF CONGDON
\n“–drugs, too?”<\/p>\n
MAN 1
\nthat’s enough right there. Flag it and we can go home.
\nSome days you’re just lucky.<\/p>\n
MAN 2
\nYeah.<\/p>\n
MAN 1
\nWhy don’t we call your afternoon assignment a nap? You’ll be up
\nwith the birdies tomorrow.<\/p>\n
SCENE 4<\/p>\n
(DOUG at podium, in mid-speech)<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI’m on the offensive. Instead of punishing those bastards who
\ndestroyed the old shareware community, I’m starting a new one.
\nThat’ll hit them where they live, in the pocketbook. Proprietors
\nbeware! So if any of you hackers out there want a good job at
\nhalf what the market would pay you, pick up a copy of my flyer.
\nIn exchange for slaving long hours, you’ll have the satisfaction
\nof locking heads with a bunch of wild and crazy dweebs who want
\nto write the most elegant code ever, and pass it out to any meat
\nmachine with the intelligence to use it. Those of you who can’t
\nhack, you can pitch in too. Pitch some cash in this bucket, and
\nhelp bail us out. The masters of industry — the finance suits
\nand the marketing suits, mundanes who can’t think and won’t work
\n— they want to own the brains in this country. Chain us up and
\nlease us out. I say, to hell with them. Free speech! Free software!
\nPower to the good guys!<\/p>\n
(applause. Doug starts to leave the podium,
\nthen remembers HELEN and waves her to come up)<\/p>\n
Oh, yeah. Good guys? Let me introduce my mom. Come on up here.
\nHelen Rauscher, I want you to meet the future. The mapmakers for
\nUtopia.
\n(DOUG applauds the audience)<\/p>\n
SCENE 5
\nMAR is asleep in a hotel bedroom. Phone rings. MAR wakes, peers
\ngroggily, then fumbles to answer the phone.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nHello?<\/p>\n
VOICE (MAN 2)
\nMar? Be careful.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nJerry? Is that you? (a click as the line goes dead.)
\nJerry?
\n(MAR turns on the light, stares at the phone, hangs up, dials.
\nOne ring, then-)<\/p>\n
JERRY (answering)
\nHello?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nDarling? Did you just call?<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nAt 6:30 in the morning? Of course not. What kind of sadist do
\nyou think I am.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nThen who could it have been?<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nDidn’t they say?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nHe hung up.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWell, if I’d dialed a wrong number at 6:30 am, I don’t think I’d
\nintroduce myself–<\/p>\n
MAR
\nHe knew my name.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWhat?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nHe called me Mar. Who have you given this number to?<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nNobody.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nMaybe I imagined it. I wasn’t really awake.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWho is?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nAnd I’ve been having bad dreams. It’s good to hear your voice.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nMy voice is not as cheerful as it might be a few hours from now.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBut you answered first ring.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nThe baby’s been up since 5:30. He decided that dawn’s too long
\nto wait to start wrecking the place.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nHe wouldn’t go back to sleep?<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nI think he’s experimenting, trying to discover if there’s some
\ntime if he’s awake he’ll find you home.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nSoon. I’ll be home soon. How are you bearing up?<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nAll right. Mark hasn’t been eating much breakfast.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nDon’t worry. He never does, it’s a family trait.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nNot on my side.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI know, dear. When we were first married I couldn’t even bear
\nto watch you. Eggs, staring back at seven o’clock– yuck<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nMark, no! Let go of that–
\n(Silence. MAR closes her eyes and shudders.)
\nJERRY
\nOK, I got him away from the butter dish, but I really can’t talk.
\nI can’t work or think either, Mar, so I’ll be very glad to see
\nyou come home.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nMe too. Probably I can get away by Wednesday, if I’m willing to
\ncome back and finish up after the hearings.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWhy don’t you do that? A whole week of this, I’ll be a basket
\ncase. You know, you promised when you took this job that you wouldn’t
\nlet it take over. No crusades–<\/p>\n
MAR
\nDon’t worry, I’ve been inoculated. I’m immune to Washington fever.
\nYou don’t know how I long to be washing out diapers. Sure, when
\nI was a girl I used to fantasize about the Supreme Court, or being
\nthe first woman president– but it’s awful. Nobody’s real.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWell, we’re real here. Real enough that I can’t afford to chat.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nJerry: I needed it. The chat’s brought me back. I was so spooked.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nIf you need to talk, I can call back when Mark’s down for his
\nnap<\/p>\n
MAR
\nNo, it’s ok now. I’ll be all right. Just a few more days.
\nThe thing is, this is the same hotel.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nThe same hotel?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nThe one where I was staying when–<\/p>\n
(Lights out. A dim figure in a dark raincoat grabs MAR, holds
\na knife at her throat.)<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nMar? Mar, get out of there.<\/p>\n
SCENE 6
\n(DOUG’s hotel room. He is propped on the bed petting ESSIE, while
\nhis mother, HELEN, sits nearby, talking to him)<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nDouglas, are you listening to me?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYes, mother.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nIt seems as if all your attention is on that cat.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nEssie’s a little nervous. Strange place, strange people.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nIf she’s used to you she should be used to strange.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nDo you need anything from room service, or can you wait for lunch
\nat 2:00?<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nI’m fine.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWould you hand me that brown bag? (she does. He takes out a slice
\nof cold pizza)<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nHow old is that? When did you buy it?
\nDOUG
\nAbout three a.m. But I was still too hyper to eat. What a day.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nI’ll say. I’d read about your speeches, but I guess I hadn’t pictured
\nyou as – what? Some kind of openness cult? Let it all hang out.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMother–<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nI must say I’m surprised. You weren’t a particularly truthful
\nchild.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYeah. Well, I did the best I could. I was true to myself.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nOh? To the point where I could never believe a thing you said.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI had to say something. Something you’d accept and leave me alone.
\nOr I’d never’ve been left alone to accomplish.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nLike blowing out the circuits and defrosting the freezer, hundreds
\nof dollars worth–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat do you want from me! (the cat stirs)
\nSorry, Essie. Maybe you’d better go in your house, old girl.
\nShe gets upset when I am.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nGod forbid your mother should upset you. Our your precious cat.
\nI never should have come.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMother, I’m glad you came. Thank you. And if you’re nervous about
\nthat interview you gave the Post–<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nThat reporter distorted everything!<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nDon’t be, because it was fine. I’ve talked to the board of directors
\nand to Congressman Kelly’s staff person, and nobody thinks it
\nwill damage us.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nUs! Who is this Us? Does us include your mother and father? Your
\nfather hadn’t planned to retire until next year, but if he can’t
\nhold up his head–!
\nDOUG
\nBecause of the stench? Look. I’m sorry I rotted the family meat,
\nback in 1968. I could afford to pay for it now, you know. With
\ninterest, so we could both feel better–<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nIt wasn’t the accident. You shouldn’t have been experimenting,
\nbut anyone can make a mistake. But to keep it a secret, for five
\ndays! Not to tell anyone in time to save all that food, when there
\nare children starving–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nNot in Scarsdale! What do want from me? What can I do, to bury
\nthis, finally? I’m sorry I was a trial to you. But I’m not sorry
\nI was the kind of nerdy kid who’d grow up to be me. I had projects.
\nEven if they seemed a waste of time to you and Dad-<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nAlways something! Yes, that part I recognized. What the government
\nor some big corporation wants is immaterial, you must push on
\nwith your project. Everybody else should just stop what they’re
\ndoing and give you whatever you want–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMom.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nI’m sorry. I intended to come and be supportive, but–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYou came. If I’d known you were coming, I’d have had someone meet
\nyou at the airport, take you to lunch.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nYes, well, you looked so thin on the television. You’re still
\nliving on pizza and cheetos, I suppose?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nPretty much.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nYou and your father. I cook everything the way the doctor wants
\nhim to have it, but I know in restaurants it’s steak, steak, steak.
\nWhat do you feed your cat?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nScience diet and cheetos.<\/p>\n
SCENE 7
\n(Surveillance team)<\/p>\n
MAN 2
\nThe cat came in when I was hooking it up. Gave me a hell of a
\nscare<\/p>\n
MAN 1
\nI thought Rauscher carried it around with him.<\/p>\n
MAN 2
\nNot all the time.<\/p>\n
MAN 1
\nGood thing it’s not a dog. Make it a little difficult to do the
\njob, huh?<\/p>\n
MAN 2
\nThe difficult we do right away. The impossible takes longer.<\/p>\n
MAN 1
\nNice picture.<\/p>\n
MAN 2
\nNice sound, too. If I turn it up you can hear the fucking cat
\nfart.<\/p>\n
SCENE 8
\n(MAR, HELEN, and TERM are sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant,
\nwaiting for DOUG. CHRISTINE approaches hesitantly)<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE (to TERM)
\nAre you Douglas Rauscher?<\/p>\n
TERM
\nSorry, lady.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nBut aren’t you Marcia Bergman?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI beg your pardon?<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nPhilip Congdon, in congressman Kelly’s office? He said I would
\nfind Douglas Rauscher and Ms. Bergman having lunch here at two
\no’clock. He described you, but I thought I recognized Doug Rauscher
\nfrom his pictures- TERM (shakes hands)
\nI was the guy next to him. Thomas Minnow, but call me Term. I’m
\nDoug’s Henchman. It’s the hair that’s confused you.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nDoug’s late.<\/p>\n
TERM and HELEN
\nHe usually is.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nThis is Doug’s Mother. Helen Rauscher.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nChristine Andrawski. Do you mind if I join you and wait for him?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nLet me understand this. Pete Kelly sent you?<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nHe didn’t, exactly.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nPhilip Congdon?<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nWell, obviously, Mr. Congdon knows I’m here.<\/p>\n
TERM
\nAre you a reporter?<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nIs that Rauscher? He’s coming this way-<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYes, that’s him. But this is in the way of a private lunch. A
\nworking lunch. We have a limited amount of time before the hearings-<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nI understand, and I won’t take but a minute. A simple yes or no-<\/p>\n
(DOUG enters with ESSIE’s carrier, which he stows part way under
\nthe table.)<\/p>\n
DOUG (to ESSIE)
\nChow time, old girl. (to MAR) Have you ordered?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWere we supposed to?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIt saves time.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI guess it would, if I knew what you like.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI don’t care. I eat anything.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYour mother and I were planning to have the salmon.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nA little of that’ll be great for Essie. Not me, though. I’m allergic.
\n(to CHRISTINE) Who’re you? Am I supposed to know you?<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nWe haven’t met. I’m Christine Andrawski, and I’m with the Institute
\nfor Ethical Compacts.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat is that, animal-free cosmetics? I approve of that, animals
\nare meat machines like we are. But I haven’t the time or money–<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nNothing like that. My organization is trying to track the connections
\nbetween clandestine government operations and international crime.
\nFor years, we’ve been documenting how the agencies use the secret
\nnetworks of the drug traffickers to gather information and to
\nmove money and arms. In return, the agencies have turned the third
\nworld and our urban underclass over to the mob.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nInteresting theory.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nWe have proof! Thousands of pages, available to the media– or
\nwe did, until a worm got in and wiped it all out. All the files.
\nYears of investigation. I can’t tell you what it represents, how
\nmuch work and sacrifice. Lawsuits, burglaries, threats, and now
\nthis.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI don’t think I could help you.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nYou’re the world’s greatest hacker!<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nSecurity’s not my field.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nIf you understood the importance–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIf it meant the Second Coming, I still wouldn’t have time. And
\nI don’t see how I can even give you the name of somebody who would:
\nbecause I’d be stripping my own project. There’s only so much
\nenergy out there. People have to make a living–,<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nI know! Most of us have day jobs, and pour every hour and dollar
\nwe can spare into the cause–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nHackers, too. But we still have to flush our toilets and feed
\nour cats and pay our taxes.<\/p>\n
TERM
\nEven guys like me and Doug, who essentially have no other life.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE (appeals to Helen)
\nHe’s my last hope, Mrs. Rauscher.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nYou’ll think of something.<\/p>\n
TERM
\nHow long have you been at this?<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nSeven or eight years. It’s not just the one office. We have grass
\nroots. Church people who organize study groups. We distribute
\ntapes, send out lecturers. If we can’t follow up–<\/p>\n
TERM
\nYou must have hard copy.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nRemember the burglaries. Where would we keep it? Where would it
\nbe safe?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nIn an old cistern in the back yard of a junior typist.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nWhat?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nNothing. A stupid joke.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIs this woman a friend of yours?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWe’ve never met.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nYes, we have. I remember you, now. You’re Margo Davison.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nDidn’t you say Marcia?<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nMarcia Bergman.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nYou changed it.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhich should I remember? I’m not good with names.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nShe’s mistaken.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nSure. I talked to you once, in Taylor’s office. Six or seven years
\nago. You were on the investigation, you blew the whistle-<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou’ve confused me with somebody else. I work for congressman
\nKelly, in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n
SCENE 9
\n(CONGDON’s office, on phone)<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nI understand your concern, Mr. Bergman. If you think that somebody’s
\ngot her number out of this office, there’s precautions we can
\ntake. For starters, she can change hotels–<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWon’t they track her the same way?<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nWe can give her a fake identity. It’s routine with sensitive witnesses,
\nno reason we can’t use it for Marcia. When she comes back next
\nweek, only Trudy and I need know where she’s staying.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nIf anything happens at home–<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nWe’ll keep in touch. (calls) Trudy!<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nI’d rather you didn’t tell Mar I called. When she comes home and
\nI can talk to her face to face, I’ll fill her in. But I don’t
\nwant her more worried than she has to be.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nI can appreciate that. Trudy, we want to set up a safe warning
\npath for Mr. Bergman. Explain it.<\/p>\n
TRUDY
\nWe’ll get your wife’s numbers to you indirectly. The call should
\nbe to someone you can absolutely trust, like your mother, who’d
\nbe willing to drive to your work to pass it, in case, as we must
\nassume, the tap’s also on your home phone.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWonderful. My mother.<\/p>\n
TRUDY
\nPerhaps you’d rather a brother or sister?<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nMy brother’s a raving lunatic. No, Mom’s the one.<\/p>\n
TRUDY
\nFine. Call this office from a pay phone at 4:30. (hangs up)<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nTrudy, what was it that Andrawski woman was yammering on about?
\nINSLAW, wasn’t it? She said a whole delegation was involved-.<\/p>\n
TRUDY
\nI wasn’t really paying attention. The woman’s a nut. Isn’t that
\nwhat we decided?<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nThat doesn’t necessarily mean she can’t occasionally know something.<\/p>\n
TRUDY
\nSomething? Everything! And it all adds up. You follow what looks
\nlike logic along that paper trail Andrawski’s put together and
\nthen suddenly you’re face to face with the Antichrist. Armageddon.
\nThe Four Horseman ride into town with the Republican Re-election
\ncommittee.<\/p>\n
CONGDON
\nStill, this computer scam sounds familiar. There may be something
\nto it, at least worth checking out.<\/p>\n
TRUDY
\nFine. I’ll check it out.<\/p>\n
SCENE 10<\/p>\n
(a coffee shop)<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nI want to apologize if I gave you away.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI’ve told you, you’re mistaken.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nNo, I’m not. I have a phenomenal memory. That’s what makes me
\nvaluable when it comes to conspiracies. I can connect seemingly
\nrandom incidents over a wide time span.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou can’t connect me.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nIf you were scared off, I don’t blame you. Or did they get to
\nyou? Sooner or later they pick off everybody, one way or another.
\nNot surprising, considering the size of rewards and punishments.
\nUnless, like me, you believe in a literal heaven-<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI don’t! But I do have a conscience.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nListen, I am sorry. Maybe I can make up for it by giving you a
\nwarning. That Thomas Minnow: he is not straight.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI am not concerned with my associates sexual preferences-<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nNot straightforward. Not what he seems.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nDoug trusts him.<\/p>\n
CHRISTINE
\nI happen to know he worked out a program so that the South African
\nsecurity force could track down dissidents abroad. You ask Rauscher
\nabout the OUTERCEPT modification, what it has to do with Minnow.
\nSee what he says.<\/p>\n
SCENE 11
\n(OCTO RATCHETT’s apartment. Complicated security devices are in
\nevidence. DOUG rings from downstairs)<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nYeah?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nDoug here.<\/p>\n
OCTO (buzzing door open)
\nCome on up. (returns to computer, works until door knock)<\/p>\n
DOUG (coming in with MAR)
\nI’m really grateful that you’d do this for me.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nNo problem, man. I’m a fan of yours since way back. Any time I
\ncan be of help. Listen, in future, if you want to get hold of
\nme? Call here, let it ring 3 times, hang up and call and let it
\nring twice again. Then wait five minutes and call this number.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat is it?<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nPay phone on the corner. You’ve been on the news a lot, and I
\ndon’t want to take a chance and get my phone tapped. This here’s
\nmy lifeline.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou think someone’s tracing us?<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nHey, why not? Not unheard of for curious cats like us to use up
\nall nine lives. Car crashes, plane crashes, O.D’d. Lots of accidents,
\nonce you attract attention.
\nThis woman you want to know about: is she spelled right?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nAndrawski. Right. I don’t expect we’ll find much.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nMaybe nothing. She may be a simple crank.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nOh, even a crank’ll have a file. Maybe dozens, each agency.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou can access any of them?<\/p>\n
(OCTO is typing, hacking his way into the protected files to search)
\nOCTO
\nWhat can I say? I’m a genius. Not on Doug’s scale, but in my modest
\nspecialty. I know the secret history of everybody since the Bay
\nof Pigs. (responding to computer) Oops, wrong password!<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWhy the Bay of Pigs?<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nIt was Kennedy set it all up, you know? This whole shadow warrior
\nthing, the permanent unelected disaffected answerable-to-nobody
\ngovernment-by-spook. James Bond went to his head.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nIntelligence.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nIntelligence! Shit, there’s no intelligence involved. Secrets,
\nthat’s what. Confidential records. The guys who turn in this stuff
\ndon’t know shit about intelligence. They’ve got all these employees,
\nall this money, so they fill up files. I got a file, you got a
\nfile, all God’s chillen got files.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou’ve seen yours?<\/p>\n
OCTO (still working)
\nSure.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBoth of you?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMaybe a year ago. It’s probably grown by now.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWhy don’t you erase them?<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nAnd arouse suspicion? Hey, they may be after me cause I’m paranoid,
\nbut I’m not crazy. Somebody goes looking for mine and it’s gone,
\nI’d be up to my ass in agents. My hacking days’ld be over. The
\ntrick is to see what it is that draws their attention, organizations,
\npublications, and not be seen doing it. As long as hackers protect
\nhackers–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nOccasionally delete a line or two.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nOr three! So we stay free. Free to roam through the hidden corridors
\nof Big Brother’s lair. To thrill to the diabolically clever cover
\nups, the vast sums, the Swiss Bank accounts.
\nSomeday maybe I’ll give in to temptation and open a Swiss account
\nof my own, transfer a few billion in CIA funds—- Bingo!<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nHere it comes!<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nAnd comes and comes. Oh, she’s their darling, Christine is. What
\nin all this are we looking for?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIs she legitimate, is she serious?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nCan you tell if she’s really one of theirs?<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nI’d say she’s likely clean. Look at the size of this! A goddam
\nepic, taps, tapes, tails: Every time she’s brushed her teeth.
\nI bet your lunch’ll be in here by the end of the week.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nOh, God.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nYou going to want the whole print-out?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI don’t know. Do we?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nIt terrifies me. Thousands of hours of spying, tens of thousands
\nof dollars of taxes, to watch one citizen-watchdog.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nKeeps em out of mischief.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI guess I’d better keep my distance from her.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nIf there’s a chance of getting the government on your side.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIt’s a shame, really. Anybody with enemies like this is a kind
\nof heroine.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nYeah, there’s an African-American scholar writing a book about
\nthat. Did you know? Beulah Brown. She says that the only record
\nwe have of the real American heroes is FBI files. The people’s
\nchampions were so silenced by spooks and harassed by double agents
\nthey were never able to publish or organize. But all their ideas
\nand plans are stored away. All she has to do is separate the content
\nfrom the hostile point of view of the creeps who recorded it,
\nand we’ll have a blueprint for a democratic Eden.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWhat makes her think she’ll be able to publish it?<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nCome on. A P.C. female academic? At a University press? Sure.
\nNobody worries about books. Nobody reads. Why waste effort on
\neggheads? Not since the Radical Feminist scare.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIt’s like nobody worries about nerds. I can say we need a revolution–<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nBut everybody knows guys like us only get paid if we work on government
\ngrants or for the military-industrial complex.
\nDo you realize that if it’d been possible to elect Adlai Stevenson,
\nVietnam would never have happened? If Abe Fortas had stayed on
\nthe Supreme Court–<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou want to rehabilitate the reputations of all the losers who
\nwere taken out by spooks.<\/p>\n
OCTO
\nNot me. Dr. Beulah Brown. My personal slant is kind of the opposite.
\nFeet of clay. I make it a hobby to collect copies of all the dirt
\nthe spooks have got on the great and glorious. Whenever I begin
\nto feel that mine is an anti-social existence, man, I pull out
\nsome of the classics. I got filthy tapes on FDR, JFK, RFK, MLK.
\nInspirational? Makes you pray for the day AI replaces the meat
\nmachine. It’s the only way to be clean, man. The human race is
\na hierarchy of hypocrites. The worst shoot up to the top on a
\ngeyser of lies.<\/p>\n
SCENE 12
\n(DOUG’s hotel room. Sally, a call girl, is waiting. She is lounging
\non his bed, with Essie in her lap, stroking her.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat the hell! Isn’t this my room?<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nUh huh. And this is your pussy.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nEssie’s only supposed to do that with me. How did you get her
\nto? What are you doing here, anyway? Do I know you?<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nNot yet, but I’m hoping that before long we’ll know each other
\nvery well.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWait a minute. I’ve heard of this. Are you a — professional?
\n(she smiles acknowledgement)
\nBut doesn’t a person have to indicate that he’s –receptive? I
\nmean, it’s nice that somebody wants me to feel welcome–<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nBetter than that. Warm and relaxed and–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nNot my style.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nWell, pardon me! This is the first time I’ve had that complaint,
\nbut if you’d prefer a brunette–.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nDon’t take it personally. That’s not what I meant.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nWrong sex?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nHow should I know?<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nYou must be- what? Thirty-five? By your age most men have some
\nidea.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYeah. But how many others?<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nOther what?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nOther ideas. I live mostly in my mind. I like it that way. It’s
\nefficient. The downside is, I’m not in touch with my lower order
\nfunctions.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nPoor baby.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nNewton, Gauss — productive minds are often that way.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nI thought you said you aren’t sure what you are. Don’t you think
\nthe subject’s worth some research? Especially when it comes funded.
\nYou don’t ignore your body completely. You eat.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nAnything that’s quick and easy. That comes delivered.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nI’m delivered. What’s your inclination?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nTo masturbate.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nDon’t breasts interest you, at all?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nYours are really — ample.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nAn ample sample. An ample handful.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nThey seem a little — uh–lumpy.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nSilicone.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nThat’s gross.<\/p>\n
SALLY
\nNot gross, big. Silly, maybe. Silly Cone. I’m Sally. Silly Sally
\nSilicone. Come on, loosen up, Doug. If somebody could implant
\nyou with a brain booster, would you turn it down? To each his
\nown.<\/p>\n
SCENE 13
\n(MAR and JERRY at home)<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI want to wake him up. Can’t I?<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nIf he’s asleep it’s because he needs sleep.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBut I’ve hardly seen him. Tomorrow I’ll be hurrying to catch the
\nshuttle.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nYou’ve hardly seen me, either.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nBut he’s growing by the day. He might forget me.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nYou know, you never really told me what happened in Washington.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nYou mean before? I thought you didn’t want to know.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nThat’s the impression I gave?<\/p>\n
MAR (nods)
\nWhen I said I’d had a breakdown. You never asked what kind, or
\nfor how long.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nI’m not comfortable talking about– mental illness. Because of
\nmy brother. My family acted as if it were a deep indelible shame
\nto have one of us put away in a hospital. We were all sort of
\nsworn never to mention it.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI didn’t fall ill: I was pushed. From my work on the books, I
\nknew somebody was altering files, covering up payments, making
\ncontributions under phony names. But every discovery just led
\nto another tangle; to this day, none of it makes sense.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nYou were going to be subpoenaed to testify–<\/p>\n
MAR
\nTowards the end I had the feeling that the clues I was uncovering
\nhad to have been planted. That what seemed to be a vast conspiracy
\nreaching into every corner of the elite, connecting them with
\nthugs of the lowest order –, that all this was a cover-up, an
\ninvented conspiracy laid over a deeper real one. A trial would
\nhave sent to jail only little guys. The ones who took money to
\ndo errands they didn’t understand. Anyway, I was worried sick,
\nthat was true enough. I couldn’t eat or sleep. Then one night
\nI was mugged, with a knife. Except the mugger didn’t take anything
\nbut some files I was carrying, and he whispered I was a target,
\nthat I couldn’t even imagine the force I was up against–.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nI don’t understand how that — I mean, I’m sure it was a shock,
\nbut you’ve always struck me a unusually brave–<\/p>\n
MAR
\nNobody believed me! When I got hysterical they sedated me. They
\nwrote me up for a fitness-for-duty- exam with their kept shrink,
\nand from there I was railroaded into the hospital. So after a
\nwhile I agreed that I’d made it all up. I resigned. I went home.
\nI moved to Cambridge, took a cooking course, and met you.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nTo live happily ever after.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI hope so. Tell me it’s possible.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nIt’s possible. It just isn’t easy.<\/p>\n
SCENE 14
\n(surveillance team viewing tape)<\/p>\n
MAN 2
\nSometimes I think this is too easy.<\/p>\n
MAN 1
\nThe trick is, hire an expert. I make it look easy.<\/p>\n
MAN 2
\nYou got a use for this?<\/p>\n
MAN 1
\nOh, yes. Nothing wasted.<\/p>\n
SCENE 15<\/p>\n
(DOUG’s room. He’s on bed, stroking cat)<\/p>\n
HELEN (at door)
\nDoug?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWho is it? Sally?<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nIt’s your mother.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nCome on in, it’s not locked.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nWho’s Sally?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nA business associate.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nI was hoping maybe you’d found a nice girl.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nSorry, no.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nIf you could bring yourself.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nShh, please, Just be quiet for a minute. And hold Essie.
\n(goes to the keyboard, types, stops)
\nOk, now you can talk.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nOf all the rudeness.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nMother, I was working. If I don’t get it down, I lose it.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nIs that what you call it! Laying on the bed napping,–<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nIt’s lying. Lay is transitive, and implies actors: Source of a
\nthousand ancient dirty jokes.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\n— in the middle of the afternoon. And what you were doing with
\nthat cat?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nEssie helps me think. When I’m stuck, I close my eyes and pet
\nher till the answer shows up on my inner screen.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nI had intended to take the one o’clock shuttle back, but when
\nI went to pack up and check out I found that this had been delivered
\nto my room.<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nWhat is it?<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nI thought you’d know. The note says, “Ask your son about this.”<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI haven’t any idea. It seems to be a videotape. Maybe of my speech?<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nYou have a player?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nSure. (puts in the tape)<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nWhat a big screen.<\/p>\n
DOUG (runs tape)
\nGood for graphics. Oh, my God. Talk about graphic!<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nWho is that, is that you? And who is that woman? Tell me you’re
\nengaged to her.<\/p>\n
DOUG (turning it off)
\nThat’s Sally.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nWhat is the meaning of this?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nI don’t know, but I think I’d better find out. Just hold on a
\nminute. (dials OCTO’s signal on the phone.)<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nWho are you calling?<\/p>\n
DOUG
\nOcto- a friend who knows about this stuff. Then I’m taking this
\ntape down to Philip Congdon’s office.<\/p>\n
HELEN
\nAre you insane?! You’ve got to burn it. (they struggle)<\/p>\n
SCENE 16<\/p>\n
(MAR enters her new, secret, hotel room.
\nThe phone rings immediately. She answers.)<\/p>\n
VOICE (MAN 2)
\nSo you’re back. Don’t you miss your husband? Your little boy?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWho is this?<\/p>\n
VOICE (MAN 2)
\nIsn’t it time for you to stay home in Needham and take care them?
\nA big city like D.C. is dangerous. Accidents happen.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nWho are you? How dare you –?<\/p>\n
VOICE (MAN 2)
\nJust friendly advice, lady. Tell the congressman you need quality
\ntime. Ask to be reassigned. (clicks off)
\n(MAR hangs up, shaking, then dials)<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nHello?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nJerry, it’s me.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nYeah. Who else? You just get there?<\/p>\n
MAR
\nThey know where I am. I used the fake name, and they know anyway.
\nThey threatened– you and Mark, you’re all right?<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWe’re fine. Or we were until you called.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nOn the phone just now. The voice said, go home to Needham.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nOh, shit.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nProbably just to scare me.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nIt’s worked. If you’re not scared, I am. I want you home, right
\nnow. Tomorrow morning. I didn’t make a connection, but guys with
\nbriefcases have been talking to our neighbors, and yesterday I
\ngot a notice from the IRS: they’re going to audit.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nFor what? We don’t even go long form!<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWhatever it is you’re doing.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI’m not doing anything! I’m part of the government, a very small
\npart, doing a routine job. Babysitting a computer jock!<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nWell, somebody is under the impression that what you’re doing
\nis a threat to him. Or them. Threatened people play rough, remember?
\nCome home.<\/p>\n
MAR
\nAs soon as I can. But I’ve got to try one more time, just for
\nmy peace of mind. Before I run away and change my name and move
\nto North Dakota or something, I’ve got to try to find out what
\nit is that’s after me. And why.<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nMar-<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI’ll be careful. Jerry? I love you. (leaves, not hanging up)<\/p>\n
JERRY
\nI love you, too. And Mark loves you, and we both need you. Don’t
\ndo anything foolish. Listen, I’ve been thinking about this a lot,
\nand I’m beginning to believe that even if you could do something,
\nif there were no risk personally, you shouldn’t. A country can
\nbe dysfunctional in the same way as a family, but there’s no outside
\nto go to for help, no bigger community. If what we have is a KGB,
\nor a Mafia, except they’re wearing a constitutional cover, a fig
\nleaf, don’t strip that away. Leave us hypocrisy. You see what
\nI’m getting at Mar? At least we’ll have lip service, and in time
\n— Mar? Mar, are you there?<\/p>\n
SCENE 17
\n(OCTO’s apartment, at computer.)<\/p>\n
MAR
\nI really appreciate this. Can we just print it all out so I can
\nstudy it?<\/p>\n
OCT
\nHey, no problem. You deserve to know what you’re up against.
\nIf somebody’s got close enough to be threatening you-
\n(phone rings, stops)
\nOK, hold on. — (rings again)
\nI got to go out to the booth. Here. It’ll print out now. Don’t
\nlet anybody in but me, AND don’t answer the phone.
\nEND OF ACT I<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHARACTERS: Can be performed by a cast of eight, 5 men and 3 women. DOUG RAUSCHER: 35, a whiz computer programmer, and the prime mover in the Foundation for Free Intelligence. PHILIP CONGDON: lawyer, congressional aide. Not a man to suffer fools gladly. TRUDY: 50’s, Congdon’s office secretary. Very efficient. She has more power than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":11,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-13","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28,"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13\/revisions\/28"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wyntest.stagepage.info\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}